Cover letter
The thing I was proud of while writing this profile was the fact that I got to learn about someone new. Doing so really did push me out of my comfort zone because I usually stick to my circle of friends, but it was nice to get to know someone new. Brandon was truly a fun person to write about, and I think he’s also an amazing writer. While writing my peer profile I used rhetorical devices like similes, metaphors, and pathos to convey Brandon in the most realistic light possible. Writing this paper allowed me to connect with the larger course themes of language politics by allowing me to see a different perspective of what it’s like to not know your native language. For Brandon this experience made him want to learn his native language even more. However, for me my similar experiences made me feel scared to connect with my culture and learn my native language. In this sense on a larger scale, the audience of this paper would be of course children of POC parents who never got the chance to learn their parents’ language. On a smaller scale, the audience would be Brandon. This is all his story, he gave the information, and I just wrote about it. I hope that my writing helps explain his experiences well.
After speaking to Brandon about his process of writing his written narrative I got to learn more about his inspiration behind writing about one feeling lost in his own identity. He and his family both come from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Compared to most of his family Brandon grew up in New York so his disconnect from his culture might’ve also felt geographical. The first time he visited Puerto Rico was when he was 16. To his surprise, he was the only one of his cousins that didn’t speak Spanish. He was embarrassed to admit that he fit into the stereotype that new-generation Puerto Rican kids couldn’t speak Spanish. During the interview, Brandon talks about how he took this situation more comically until realized how much it affected him to feel isolated. In his writing, he talks about how during quarantine he had started taking Spanish classes. Although he was excited at first, he eventually ended up paying no mind to the class until his trip to Puerto Rico. He spent his junior year trying to heavily immerse himself into the class so he could get around. It was endearing to hear that he had hope that when he came back from his trip, he would feel more connected to his other side.
Brandon’s story is one that I and many others can heavily relate to, not only does it allow readers to sympathize but also reflect on their relations with their cultures. When asked about how content he feels about the issues he wrote about, he says that although the issues haven’t been completely resolved he is still taking the time to be more open-minded to the idea of learning his native language. You can see this open-mindedness in his writing when he speaks about no longer avoiding learning the language. During our interview, he said that the hardest part of writing his narrative was the end because he found it difficult to decide what to add in the end. Coincidentally a kind stranger gave him words of encouragement 2 days before finishing this essay. This part of the narrative felt like a full-circle moment. We could visualize it as a lightbulb moment in his life.
In his narrative, Brandon uses pictures as his form of media. The pictures involve him going on daily walks as a way to avoid having to speak to relatives in a language he didn’t comprehend. From a reader’s perspective, you can imagine Brandon on these walks and even the emotions he felt while taking them. After asking Brandon about whether he thinks people would’ve had the same reaction as him he states that ‘people would probably do the opposite of what I did.. I think they would try to make more of an effort especially if they didn’t know the language like I did.’ It was interesting to hear him say that because, from an outsider’s perspective, I would say that his reaction was completely valid. Especially if you feel like an outsider, you would want to distance yourself from the people making you feel that way. Incidents like this caused him to feel a disconnect from his culture. He felt as though he had nothing to rely on because he couldn’t express himself the way he wanted/needed to in Spanish. While looking back Brandon expressed his feelings of regret about not taking the time to learn the language. He talks about how it was difficult since language is such a big part of our lives.
Overall Brandon’s story is still ongoing. His determination to understand and perfect his Spanish speaking skills is something he prioritizes. It takes a lot for someone to put their stubbornness aside and commit to something like learning their native language, so I do commend him for taking that step.
